The Truth (with Jokes)

Al Franken reveals the alarming story of how Bush (barely) beat Kerry with his campaign of "fear, smear, and queers", and then claimed a nonexistent mandate; Republicans decided that Terri Schiavo would make "a great political issue"; Conservatives sought to undermine Social Security by using a strategy borrowed from...Vladimir Lenin; and more.

We're Still Right, They're Still Wrong: The Democrats' Case for 2016

James Carville is the best-known and most-loved political consultant in American history. He is also a speaker, a talk-show host, an actor, and an author with six New York Times best sellers to his credit. Part of a large Southern family, he grew up without a television and loved to listen to the stories his mama told. Mr. Carville lives with his wife, Mary Matalin, and their two daughters in New Orleans.

I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!

From Stuart Smalley come calming visualizations that will take you to a safe and healing place...except for a few wrong turns along the way. Al Franken brought Stuart Smalley to prominence on Saturday Night Live, and although Stuart's not perfect (and that's okay), he offers a healing journey through the Dysfunctional Forest and other guided visualizations.

The Year of Voting Dangerously: The Derangement of American Politics

Maureen Dowd's incendiary takes and takedowns from 2016 - the most divisive Presidential race in modern history. Trapped between two candidates with the highest recorded unfavorables, Americans are plunged into The Year of Voting Dangerously. In this perilous and shocking campaign season, The New York Times columnist traces the psychologies and pathologies in one of the nastiest and most significant battles of the sexes ever.

The Daily Show (the AudioBook): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests

This oral history takes the listener behind the curtain for all the show's highlights, from its origins as Comedy Central's underdog late-night program hosted by Craig Kilborn to Jon Stewart's long reign to Trevor Noah's succession, rising from a scrappy jester in the 24-hour political news cycle to become part of the beating heart of politics - a trusted source for not only comedy but also commentary, with a reputation for calling bullshit and an ability to effect real change in the world.

Ratf**ked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy

With Barack Obama's historic election in 2008, pundits proclaimed the Republicans as dead as the Whigs of yesteryear. Yet even as Democrats swooned, a small cadre of Republican operatives, including Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie, and Chris Jankowski, began plotting their comeback with a simple yet ingenious plan. These men had devised a way to take a tradition of dirty tricks - known to political insiders as "ratf**king" - to a whole new unprecedented level.

The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin' Dixie Outta the Dark

Smart, hilarious, and incisive, the Liberal Rednecks confront outdated traditions and intolerant attitudes, tackling everything people think they know about the South - the good, the bad, the glorious, and the shameful - in a laugh-out-loud funny and lively manifesto for the rise of a New South. Home to some of the best music, athletes, soldiers, whiskey, waffles, and weather the country has to offer, the South has also been bathing in backward bathroom bills and other bigoted legislation.

Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In

When Bernie Sanders began his race for the presidency, it was considered by the political establishment and the media to be a "fringe" campaign, something not to be taken seriously. After all, he was just an independent senator from a small state with little name recognition. His campaign had no money, no political organization, and it was taking on the entire Democratic Party establishment. By the time Sanders' campaign came to a close, however, it was clear that the pundits had gotten it wrong.

The Great Suppression: Voting Rights, Corporate Cash, and the Conservative Assault on Democracy

Control of the country is up for grabs - and Republicans have been rigging the game in their favor. Twenty-two states have passed restrictions on voting. Ruthless gerrymandering has given the GOP a long-term grip on Congress. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has eviscerated campaign finance laws, boosting candidates backed by big money. It would be worrying enough if these were just schemes for partisan advantage. But the reality is even more disturbing.

The Truth About Trump

Drawing upon exclusive interviews and exhaustive research, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Michael D'Antonio presents Trump's full story, from his beginnings as a businessman to his juggernaut presidential campaign. Along the way, D'Antonio charts the successes and failures, scandals and triumphs, and relentless pursuit of money and fame that have made Trump who he is today. D'Antonio also details the origins of the Trump family fortune, Trump's history of using politics to get ahead, and how he has mastered the media to turn publicity into power.

Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism

Religious fundamentalists and biblical literalists present any number of arguments that attempt to disprove evolution. Those with a sympathetic ear often fail to critically examine these creationist claims, leading to an ill-informed public and, perhaps more troubling, ill-advised public policy. As Aron Ra makes clear, however, every single argument deployed by creationists in their attacks on evolution is founded on fundamental scientific, religious, and historical falsehoods - all of them.

Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

The culture wars are over and the idiots have won. This is a veteran journalist’s caustically funny, righteously angry lament about the glorification of ignorance in the United States. The three Great Premises of Idiot America: · Any theory is valid if it sells books, soaks up ratings, or otherwise moves units; anything can be true if someone says it loudly enough; "fact" is that which enough people believe. And "truth" is determined by how fervently they believe it.

An Atheist in the FOXhole: A Liberal's Eight-Year Odyssey into the Heart of the Right-Wing Media

The "Fox Mole" delivers a funny, opinionated memoir of his eight years at the unfair, unbalanced Fox News Channel. An Atheist in the FOXhole has everything that liberals and Fox haters could desire: details about how Fox’s right-wing ideology is promoted throughout the channel; why specific angles and personalities are the only ones broadcasted; the bizarre stories Fox anchors actually believed (and passed on to the public); and tales of behind-the-scenes mayhem and mistakes, all part of reporting Fox’s version of the news.

Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

This is the book the CIA does not want you to read. For the last 60 years, the CIA has maintained a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, never disclosing its blunders to the American public. It spun its own truth to the nation while reality lay buried in classified archives. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Tim Weiner offers a stunning indictment of the CIA, a deeply flawed organization that has never deserved America's confidence.

Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness

What does a megasuccess like Al Franken - best selling author, Emmy-award winning television star, and honorary Ph.D. - have to say to ordinary people like you? Well, as Dr. Al himself says, "There's no point in getting advice from hopeless failures." Filled with wisdom, observations, and practical tips you can put to work right away, this is a cradle-to-grave guide to living, an easy-to-follow user's manual for human existence.

Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power

Trump Revealed offers the most thorough and wide-ranging examination of Donald Trump's public and private lives to date, from his upbringing in Queens and formative years at the New York Military Academy to his turbulent careers in real estate and entertainment to his astonishing rise as the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination. The book will be based on the investigative reporting of more than two dozen Washington Post reporters and researchers.

The Making of Donald Trump

The culmination of nearly 30 years of reporting on Donald Trump, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston takes a revealingly close look at the mogul's rise to power and prominence. Covering the long arc of Trump's career, Johnston tells the full story of how a boy from a quiet section of Queens, New York, would become an entirely new and complex breed of public figure. Trump is a man of great media savvy, entrepreneurial spirit, and political clout. Yet, his career has been plagued by legal troubles and mounting controversy

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

One of the comedy world's fastest-rising stars tells his wild coming of age story during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. Noah provides something deeper than traditional memoirists: powerfully funny observations about how farcical political and social systems play out in our lives.

Audible Editor Reviews

Why we think it's Essential: Franken, the veteran comedian. Franken, the aspiring senator. Both are present in this sharp-tongued indictment of journalists, politicians, and our government. Depending on your political leanings, you'll revel in Franken's research and hoot over his humor, or you'll fume over his accusations and snarl over his exaggerations. Either way, he'll leave you howling! Beth Anderson

Publisher's Summary

Al Franken, "one of our savviest satirists" (People), takes on the issues, the politicians, and the pundits in one of the most anticipated books of the year.

Once again, the author of Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations trains his subversive wit directly on the contemporary political scene, leaving the powers-that-be in tatters and his audience in hysterics. Al Franken thrives on being in the opposition, and now that the Republican party controls both the Oval Office and Congress, the gloves are off and the satire is fast and furious.

Franken's specialty is using his targets' own words to make comedic and political points. Finding logical inconsistencies, factual errors, and doublespeak wherever he looks, Franken takes on and destroys the myth of liberal bias in the media, hoists the Bush White House on its own rhetorical petard, and punctures the mean-spirited sanctimony of such media darlings as Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, and host of post-Limbaugh talk-radio gasbags. Timely, provocative, unfailingly honest, and always uproarious, Lies is sure to raise hackles and spark hilarity inside the Beltway and from sea to shining sea.

Listen to Al Franken talk about Lies on Fresh Air from September 3, 2003.

I am a 30ish caucasian male. I am a husband and father. I own a home. I am military veteran. I am a small business owner. I hate paying taxes. I am, in other words, at the bullseye of the demographic target for Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and their ilk. As a member of that demographic, I state categorically that I love this book!

Al Franken is the voice of moderation, reason, and sanity in a media universe populated by cynical mouthpieces for the RNC and timerous mainstream editors and publishers who won't stand up to them, or stand up for the truth.

Unlike Limbaugh's cheap-spot left-wing doppelganger Michael Moore, Franken actually is "fair and balanced." His only agenda is truth and decency in reporting. You will revel in his witty destruction of the new media of slander, distortion, and intimidation led by Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Coulter, and Hannity.

Audible members: listen to this book and let the scales fall from your eyes!

Honestly, Franken offers some great insight, some interesting ideas and is generally pretty funny. Though I know Franken has poked fun at the democrats and liberals in the past, this book is definitely written for liberals, so realize what you're getting. Conservatives and liberals have been calling one another liars for centuries. Chances are, if you're a conservative Republican, this book will just piss you off. If you're a liberal Democrat, this book will make you cheer and laugh out loud. Liberals enjoy! Conservatives enter with an open mind and light heart or look else where for your entertainment.

As what appears to be the first review of this audio book from a non-US reader, I have 4 things to say about "Lies...": 1) it is incredibly refreshing to get a perspective of US political discourse from an American author who can use both humour and intelligence to illustrate some of the clearly hypocritical and downright dishonest statements being published not only by the conservative media but also by the supposed mainstream media; 2) it is very unlikely that a rebuttal that Franken has lied in this book (see a few of the other reviews here) will ever be convincing as the very random review I made of his facts easily held up to my scrutiny; 3) I laughed out loud a lot while I listened to this book, which occasionally embarrassed me as it was sometimes in public and others looked at me strangely but which I take as a rounding endorsement of this book; 4) I found (and I swear that neither I nor anyone in my acquaintance is any way related to Audible nor am I benefiting in any way by saying this) that listening to the Audible version of this book was in all ways superior to the written version entirely due to the incredible way Franken is able to use inflection and accent to enhance the spoken version --- to add to this the Audible version of this book has actual audio excerpts of the Wellstone memorial service that made me extremely emotional.

Buy this book unless you are absolutely determined to be a closed minded conservative. If you are positively determined to be closed minded, then write some stupid comment in your review, and give this book only one star.

This book really makes you wonder how so many people in this country can be in such a state of denial about the current state of affairs of our government. It tells the sad truth about right wing media bias and the lies they spin or cover up. The humor of the book keeps you from falling into a major state of depression over the facts provided. Wake up America becuase you, your kids and their kids are being robbed of their future in broad daylight while you stare straight at the thieves on your TV set. I wish everyone would take the time to listen to the truth this book offers. As presented, the truth doesn't hurt quite as much. Thank you Al for going out on a limb and speaking out on these issues.

What can I say, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. Franken is funny, he rants at times, is occasionally petty and is totally unapologetic to his subjects.

Too many people believe the likes of O'Reilly, Coulter, Limbaugh, etc., without taking the time to check their reports and claims for truthfulness. Al has done some legwork (with the aid of his tireless research team) and found that these talking heads aren't always completely accurate...and that sometimes they plain, old LIE.

Yes, Al does his finger pointing at the conservatives, the right wing, the neo-cons or whatever you want to call that bunch, but it's no surprise - Al's a liberal. Just ask him!

Bottom line:

If you are liberal, progressive or a "lefty", and enjoy Franken's brand humor, listen to this book. I think you'll really like it! However;

If you get all of your news from FoxNews, don't bother reading this book. It will probably just make you mad. From what I hear, you may want to start checking a second news source for FACTS...just in case...

Yeah, if you're hardcore Republican, you won't care about this, so go back to reading your Ann Coulter.
I just wanted to point out my enjoyment of this audiobook, which is hands-down the best produced audiobook I've ever listened to. Not only does Al read the material himself, but he even takes the time to make revisions to the text by referencing that you're "listening" to an "audiobook" and not "turning pages" or "reading."
It's a small distinction, but when listening to nonfiction, it is a nice change from some random guy reading another's opinion and telling you to look on page 50. Another great use of the audio format is Al's using actual clips of speeches (when available) instead of simply reading them himself. It's the extra effort that went into this production that really surprised me.
As for the book - it's funny, it's factual, and I've yet to see anyone dispute a single word or fact stated in it. You be the judge, just try to listen to it before you review it - that's rare.

Samples:
How did George W. Bush defeat John McCain in the South Carolina primary? Thousands of voters received calls from an "independent polling firm" asking if they would vote for John McCain if they knew he was the father of a black child born out of wedlock. Technically, this wasn't even a lie, since John McCain and his wife adopted an orphan girl from Bangladesh and she appeared with them on the campaign trail.
In the George W. Bush acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in 2000, he said that Clinton had gutted the military so badly that if called to fight, two entire divisions would have to say "Not ready, Sir!" Yet, a year later, Bush launch a successful war in Afghanistan with that same military. As Cheney told Reagan after the first Gulf War, a president must fight wars with the military put in place by his predecessor. So Bush won the war (and the second Iraq war) with Clinton's military. Franken shows that Clinton built up the military, contrary to the falsehoods of Bush, Cheney and the radio and television generals.
"Operation Ignore" is the name Franken gives to the Bush administration?s refusal to implement General Richard Clark's program - developed in by the Clinton administration after the attack on the U.S.S. Cole - to destroy Al Queda by sending Special Forces into Afghanistan, breaking up cells, tracking down Osama's charities and other money sources and establishing a Department of Homeland Security.
As a bonus, Franken is very funny.
Oh, by the way, remember the vandalism committed by Clinton's staff before they turned over the White House to Bush? The General Accounting Office conducted a through investigation and found no evidence of any such vandalism. The Bush administration. It was artful. As Franken says, in a paraphrase of Groucho Marx, "Truth goes out the door when rumor comes innuendo."

Franken exposes more than just the lies of the right-wing media and right-wing politicians. He exposes their veniality and cruelty as well. Franken shows the right for what it is -- obsessed with the desire for power and willing to use every sleazy rhetorical trick to do it.

Most of the time, Franken's prose is hilarious. The jokes tend to misfire when they are intentionally cruel and venal themselves. His arguments would have been stronger (albeit less funny) if he had avoided using the very techniques he criticizes. I'm sorry. Having one character release (fictionally) a "big, rattling fart" made me cringe. There's enough material here that flatulence jokes are unnecessary. Talk about "lowering the tone"!

Please note, however, that I gave the book a five-star rating. It's so funny in parts that i almost wrecked my car. It's so relevatory and damning that I now view the right as a real threat and not just a bunch of misguided souls. It's even inspirational enough that I just might get off my ass, get politically active, and DO something to get the right-wing out of power. Now that's a powerful book!

I listened to this audiobook ten years after it was released, but I still learned new information, and the subject matter is as evocative as ever. I find myself wishing for a new, similarly themed book from Mr Franken. This book is well researched, fair, and funny, from an author not inclined to take himself too seriously, but his subject matter very much so.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

FrederickStratford

9/8/11

Overall

"Not bad, but he is no PJ Orourke"

Liberal, acceptable and politically correct, Al is rarely laugh out loud hilarious, but there is some good stuff here on Fox News.

Recommend if you're a lonely liberal who likes to hear another liberal rambling for hours, kind of in a Jewish way.

Yes good, but not side splittingly hilarious.

0 of 3 people found this review helpful

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